Thursday, June 14, 2012

Israel’s militarily enforced
closure of the Gaza Strip is closing its fifth year and Gaza’s fishermen
continue to suffer at the hands of this brutal, illegal, and inhumane
policy.The closure regime’s
policy includes a naval blockade under which Gaza fishermen are only
permitted to fish within a narrow zone limited to three nautical miles.This
policy violates international laws requiring an occupying power to
ensure the way of life and the rights of occupied peoples are not
disrupted.It further violates
the Oslo Accords, which stipulate that Gaza fishermen be granted access
to a zone of the sea expanding 20 nautical miles from the shore. In
2002, the Israeli military reduced the permitted fishing zone to 12
nautical miles. In 2006, the fishing zone was reduced to 6 nautical
miles.Ultimately, after
Israel’s military incursion of 2009, codenamed “Operation Cast Lead,”
the Israeli military set in place the policy that is still in force
today: the reduction of the Gazan fishing zone to only 3 nautical miles.